Stealth Exoskeleton

Kraynnor advanced with unwavering resolve, holding the cube that had transformed into a sharp blade in his hand. Instead of heading directly for the Cordiolethor, he approached the lifeless bodies of the Fyralithors floating in silence.

[Master, I have analyzed the type of radiation emitted by these spines, and it is charged particle radiation with beta particles of up to seven thousand mSv. The diving suit is not designed to withstand such a high amount of radiation for extended periods, so your safe exposure time is limited to just five minutes. After that period, the risk becomes extremely dangerous.]

Nodding with determination, Kraynnor arrived in an instant next to the crushed body of a Fyralithor and plunged the biomass blade into the creature's flesh.

He began to melt and absorb the flesh at an astonishing rate, aware that this was the most valuable biomass he could find in this place!

"Even with a body capable of repelling most physical attacks, when a creature hundreds of times larger intends to crush you, there's not much you can do..." Kraynnor reflected, remembering one of the advantages of the Fyralithors: their ability to deflect attacks thanks to their slippery skin.

[Four minutes remaining.]

"It's enough time," Kraynnor whispered upon hearing the voice of Cognitron X-12.

Despite being fully aware of the risks involved in his action, Kraynnor was clear that he needed to increase his power. Astrylite technology far surpassed his, and to close the gap between the two sides, he was willing to risk his life and level the playing field.

In a matter of seconds, his small blade had already extended several meters and continued to grow.

Kraynnor observed the Cordiolethor, which was in a horrific state, riddled with serious wounds all over its body. Despite its condition, it stood like a monarch, as most of the Fyralithors had perished, staining the ocean red for hundreds of meters around.

He seemed as if he were in a blood-soaked ocean straight out of a horror movie.

Gradually, the figure of the Cordiolethor merged with the water as if it were fading away; it had activated its camouflage!

"Don't think you'll escape that easily!" Kraynnor roared with ruthless cruelty in his eyes.

He understood the logic guiding the creature's thinking. After all, fleeing, even after achieving victory, was a trait of predators. No one who considered themselves a successful hunter would stay exposed while plagued by mortal wounds.

Zzzzwhooosh!

Using his aquatic propulsion system at full power, Kraynnor extracted the blade from the colossal Fyralithor's body.

He turned around, fixing his gaze on the Cordiolethor. He pressed the blade's hilt five times, extending it to twenty meters, turning it into a gigantic spear!

Without a moment to lose, he launched himself at top speed toward his colossal prey. When he was just thirty meters away, he suddenly changed direction and released the spear. It moved at such a speed that it seemed like lightning. The Cordiolethor, confused, watched as a tiny green object appeared out of nowhere and was hurled at it.

Despite its attempts to dodge, the process of activating its camouflage significantly hindered its movements. Helpless, it could only watch as a tiny green object entered the wound on its head and sank into its brain!

"Sssskkrrraaaaaa!"

A roar of agony echoed throughout the area. The spear had not only pierced its brain but was also melting it!

[One and a half minutes remaining, I'll bring the submarine for a quick escape.]

Cognitron X-12 quickly made the wisest decision since Kraynnor could no longer use his propulsion systems; he had pushed them so hard that they were now damaged, rendering him unable to move even if he wanted to.

As his submarine approached, he watched as the Cordiolethor thrashed but gradually slowed down.

"Ssskkrrraaa..."

Finally, the Biomimetic Cube, transformed into a spear, completed its task of destroying the brain, ending the life of this formidable alien creature from the Two Stars, which should have been well beyond his reach.

[God Mechanic has achieved a small victory!]

As expected, the Universal System wasted no time in announcing his victory.

[In a short time since acquiring the system, you have managed to eliminate two creatures that far exceed your level of power. Most notably, defeating a Two Stars creature is generally an accomplishment reserved for combat class users with considerable experience. Nevertheless, you, a level-zero novice mechanic, have done it!]

[As a reward for your remarkable achievements, you will receive three hundred experience points, ten Universal Points, a One-Star Medium Lucky Chest, and an inventory slot will be unlocked.]

[Ding!]

[You have gained three hundred experience points.]

The notifications continued to flood his view. Kraynnor waited until only the option to open the chest remained.

[Do you wish to open it now? (Yes/No)]

Booom!

By choosing to open it, a neon blue chest appeared, gradually expanding until it finally burst into a display of multicolored lights.

[You have obtained: Stealth Exoskeleton (One Star): Provides effective invisibility against detection systems of up to Two Stars, ensuring complete camouflage for stealth infiltration in high-risk environments. Additionally, it features a multi-environment adaptive stealth system. A product of the Type Two civilization, Thalorians.]

Kraynnor watched as space tore, and a layer of subtly shining dark silver metallic fabric fell. At first glance, it appeared thin and fragile, raising doubts about its resilience and capability.

"It doesn't seem so bad after all. If it's really effective for evading powerful technology detection, it could be a valuable reward. At least it's much more promising than that useless antimatter core I have stored in the warehouse, collecting dust," he muttered as he remembered the core.

Sigh...

Finally, the submarine arrived, and with the exoskeleton in hand, he entered. As he looked at his saber in his other hand, he felt disappointed and decided to store it; it was no longer useful.

"Approach the Cordiolethor; we need to retrieve the cube and see what we can get of value from its body," Kraynnor said as he opened the system store. He looked at the prices of the Cordiolethor's parts, and a trace of salivation escaped from the corner of his mouth.

The skin alone would be worth thousands of coins, the eyes would reach tens of thousands, but what really surprised him was the ridiculously high price of the brain, which amounted to two hundred thousand!

"Oh? This is interesting..." Kraynnor noticed that even the bones had a high price. This was because they were used to prepare soups that granted greater body resistance and strength. He didn't recall that the Sonarix's bones had such utility, which led him to believe that this benefit was reserved for creatures of the Two Stars category.

[We have reached the desired location. Retrieving the Biomimetic Cube and proceeding to analyze the Cordiolethor's parts that are not severely damaged.]

"Alright, analyze as quickly as possible. There's no time to waste; those alien bastards are surely heading this way after detecting the high radiation," Kraynnor hated being forced to flee every time he left a trail of destruction in his wake, but he knew it was the only option.

After all, a single attack from their spaceships would be enough to reduce him to dust.

[Understood.]

Cognitron X-12 approached the Cordiolethor's body closely enough that, upon death, the radiation it emitted had significantly decreased, although it still lingered in the vicinity.

However, the remaining amount was so low that the submarine could withstand it without issues.

The thin, long robotic arms extended precisely and touched the hilt of the cube's blade at four strategic points, causing it to return to its liquid state. What remained was only the cube, with a small amount of biomass inside it, while the rest had adhered to the Cordiolethor's brain.

[Initiating analysis. Estimated time is approximately one minute.]

Kraynnor waited patiently while he picked up the cube, which had already been brought into the submarine by Cognitron X-12. He looked at it appreciatively, recognizing that, in the end, the best was what he created himself.

[The creature's body has significant damage. Its skin shows lacerations and tissue loss on approximately 98% of its surface. One of its eyes remains intact, while the other has perforations caused by the Fyralithors' legs. The brain is completely destroyed, and its organs have suffered severe damage. The only part that has withstood less than 30% damage is its bones.]

[In summary, 88% of its anatomy has critical damage. Do you want me to remove the useful parts?]

"Alright, go ahead," Kraynnor replied, and Cognitron X-12 began cutting the Cordiolethor's body with its laser.

He opened the system interface and focused on something he had been postponing for a long time: the mysterious Universal Points: "I already have plenty of these things; I hope they're worth it..."

...

Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away, Rylokian was being transported to the headquarters. Despite his efforts, he couldn't prove the existence of the native who had caused the Sonarix's death. The brothers, helpless to assist, gave their approval for him to be interrogated.

However, on the way, he picked up something interesting: it appeared that strong radiation had been detected in area M-039. Although it was just a hunch, Rylokian was convinced it was that native!